5. Website Development

Community Website Development

To help you develop your community website, auCD has provided this basic overview of website development together with ideas on how to make your site successful. This overview is intended as a basic guide only, and you are advised to seek more detailed information before undertaking the project.

Useful links/resources:

The following are some links to resources that may help with the development of your community website:

The Australian Domain Name Administrators (auDA) have produced an audio series on using the internet. The series gives practical information to both new and experienced users. To listen go to www.letstalknet.com.au

An excellent source of general information about creating a presence on the internet is the e-Strategy Guide for Nonprofit Organisations. The guide which was developed by the federal Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) covers topics such as Online Security, Website functions and Creative Web Use. Visit www.e-strategyguide.gov.au to find out more.

The Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs has a website portal at http://community.gov.au with a section titled Internet Tips & Tools.

FAIRTEL has a website on public education and awareness about consumers’ rights and benefits when selecting and transferring telecommunications services (including the internet) at www.fairtel.org.au.

For information on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) issues of specific interest to not-for-profit organisations and links to a wide range of products and services to assist organisations to make savings please visit the following websites:

CommunIT - helps community and not-for-profit organisations to increase their ICT capacity - visit their website at: www.communit.info

Donortec - assists charities and nonprofit organisations with Income Tax Exempt status by providing software and hardware for very low or discounted fees in conjunction with their donor partners - visit their website at: www.donortec.com.au

Sensis - the foundation partner of the Community Geographic Domain Names initiative, is providing communities like yours with easy access to local information.

You can have FREE access to tailored local information from the Sensis® network, including yellow.com.au and whereis.com.

So whether searching for products, businesses, places or people, users of your site will receive information that is specific and relevant to your local community.

For example, if someone is searching your community site for a restaurant, plumber or florist, they will receive information about local businesses in your area.

You can put a Whereis® map on your site - for more information, visit Whereis. With free access to many of Australia’s most popular information services, you can focus on developing other areas of your site.

If you would like to discuss how Sensis can help you achieve your community website objectives, please email sarah.mead@sensis.com.au or call Sarah on (03) 8653 7636.

The National Library of Australia, in conjunction with Flickr, provide a rich online pictorial resource of rural and urban images in their Picture Australia Ourtown Project. To read how this project can help your website development click here

Australian Flexible Learning Framework - provides a 'Resource Kit for Creative Communities' where community groups can source online guidance, ideas and tools for developing e-learning. Some great links and ideas on developing and organising online information. Visit http://creativecommunity.flexiblelearning.net.au

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Developing your website:

Developing a website can be a complex process, particularly if you have never done it before. It’s a good idea to involve people with experience in this field in your community website group if you can. They will be able to provide guidance, recommendations and possibly even web development skills.

A successful website requires more than just good design. If website content is not regularly reviewed and updated, people will have no reason to re-visit. Events calendars, news articles and sports results must be kept up-to-date, while business directories must provide current information. A dynamic site attracts more visitors and repeat visits, which is the key to a successful site, particularly if you are trying to attract sponsorship and advertising.

Before you start, we also recommend you have a look at some existing community websites - visit our page on Live CGDN websites

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Elements of a Website

A website can be broken down into three basic components:

textual content
design
functionality.

The textual content is any information users read on the site, including menu headings, news articles, directory listings and contact details.

The design is sometimes called the ‘look and feel’ of the site. It includes elements such as the fonts, colours and background used throughout the website, as well as any images, animations and even sound.

The functionality is how the website ‘works’. It includes things such as what happens when a user clicks the ‘submit’ button on a form, or uses a search facility to find specific information in a directory. The ‘back-end’ systems that makes up the website, such as a content management system, are also part of the functionality.

Once developed, you will also need an internet service provider (ISP) to host your website. ‘Hosting’ is a service where the files that make up your website are stored on a computer known as a ‘server’ which is permanently connected to the internet, enabling people to download those files and view the website.

All of these elements interact so each needs to be considered carefully before you begin development. For example, if your preferred ISP does not support the software used by your website, you will either need to consider an alternative host or use different software.

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Website Development Approaches

There are three basic approaches to developing a website:

hire a professional web developer to create the website or parts of the site (e.g. graphic design, programming)
develop the site yourself using website development software
use a ‘templated’ website solution such as auCD’s ‘Community Site in a Box’

Whichever approach you take, it will be a lot easier (and cheaper) if you have a good idea of what you want your site to look like and how you want it to function from the start.

Using a professional website developer

Each website developer will have their own way of working and development methodology. The important thing is to find someone who:

you feel comfortable working with and explaining your ideas
can give you a good indication of the costs (or even better, a fixed price, usually based on a scope or specification) and development timeframe
can develop the website you want within your budget.

If you are working with a web developer for the first time, check references and websites they have developed previously. Also make a list of other websites noting what you like and don’t like about them to discuss with the web developer.

Using a website developer can often result in a very professional looking and functioning site, although it can be expensive, particularly if you don’t establish exactly what you want and what it will cost up front.

Going it alone

While creating the website yourself is likely to be cheaper than employing a professional website developer, this approach is only recommended if you have the necessary technical expertise and experience required to use website development software.

If you have the skills and software in your community website group, you may decide to develop the site yourself using commercial or free software packages.

Using a ‘templated’ solution

A ‘templated’ website solution is a good alternative if you don’t have the skills to build the website in-house or the budget to employ a professional website developer.

There are a range of different products on the market, but generally they all use a content management system (CMS) with templates for the ‘presentation layer’.

All the content elements of the website (text, images, etc.) are stored in the database. The CMS is used to enter, delete and edit this content and set up structure of the site. Most content management systems use a simple, text-based system accessed through a standard web browser such as Microsoft Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Netscape Navigator. When a visitor accesses the website, the content is drawn from the database and displayed within the template-based graphic interface.

For information on auCD's "Community Site in a Box" - visit this section on our website.

The Development Process

Developing a website requires a range of skills – from technical skills (graphic design, programming, writing, etc.) – to management and business skills to ensure the website is managed efficiently and sustainably.

This next section explores the major steps in the development process.

Planning

Like any other major project, the key to developing a successful website is planning. You will need to consider the various elements of the website (content, design and functionality) and how they will all interact.

Structure and content

A website usually consists of an index or ‘home’ page linking to a number of sub-pages. While there is no limit to the number of sub pages in a website, it is important that they are structured logically so users can navigate the site successfully.

A good place to start planning a website is to develop a site map. This is simply a pictorial representation of all the pages within the website. For example, your website may have an Events page providing a listing of local events in the coming weeks. Each event listing could be linked to another page that provides full details of that particular event (for example: what it is for, when and where it will be held). The sitemap would show that the home page links to the events page, and the events page then links to the events details page.

Try to keep your website structure simple so visitors feel comfortable exploring. Rather than show every link in the menu on the home page, sort them into groups (for example: show the menu item ‘Events’ on the home page, and then links to all events listed on the Events page.) Remember to check any links to external websites regularly to ensure they are still valid.

Your community will probably have lots of ideas for what they would expect to find on the website. It is important that you think about who the website is for and how they are going to use it when planning the content. If possible, involve members of your community in the planning process.

There are a number of elements common to most websites, such as an index or home page, contact details and ‘about us’ information. As a community website, you are likely to want to include other content such as:

business directory
community group listing (e.g. sport and recreation, arts and cultural, historical, other common interest groups)
tourism information (click here for more information)
events calendar
latest news (e.g. sports results, local council initiatives)
local weather (see http://www.bom.gov.au/ for available services)
sponsor details and advertising banners
community feedback form
links to external websites (e.g. local council, regional tourism office, chamber of commerce).

You may also want to provide information to your community about depression and referral resources and link to existing online resources that can provide this. For example, you could link to the beyondblue website at www.beyondblue.org.au which provides information about depression, anxiety, postnatal depression and bipolar disorders for individuals and their families living with these conditions. The beyondblue website also has online checklists, printed materials, education resources and referral pathways. Information about beyondblue, its programs, partners and research activities are also detailed with personal stories and web links to other relevant sites.

Also, it is worth thinking about including a privacy statement and a website disclaimer on the site.

The primary aim of a privacy statement is to tell website visitors what personal and technical information is collected from them, and what this information is used for. Privacy legislation is designed to safeguard any personal information collected and ensure that it is not used for any purpose other than for which it was provided (for example: information supplied in a feedback form should not be used for marketing).

The aim of a website disclaimer is to protect the community website group from loss or damages arising from information presented on the website or contained in linked websites.

Design

When you visit other websites you will notice that the design, or the 'look and feel' of these sites varies greatly. Some will have a corporate look, while websites targeting children will use bright colours and possibly animation and sound.

The design of your community website should reflect your community, and also be attractive to potential visitors to your site. Once you have an idea of the content for your website, you can begin planning the design or the ‘interface’.

If you are working with a professional designer, try to be clear about what message you want the design to convey – warm and friendly, fun, professional or energetic – think of words that describe what you have in mind. It may help to show the designer some different websites and talk about what you like (or don’t like) about their design.

A common mistake in developing a website is to ‘over-engineer’ it. There are a few standard design rules that help visitors find their way around each new website they visit. For example, most websites have a menu at the top of the page with a link to the home page on the left. Website visitors want to be able to find the information they are interested in quickly and easily, without having to learn a new navigation system every time.

Also, it is best to keep elements like sound, animation and video to a minimum. Not only can they be expensive to produce, but they can also be unnecessarily distracting as well as increasing the download time of the website, particularly for visitors with slower internet connections.

Functionality

At the simplest level, a website can be a few static, text-based pages. A more complex site might use a database to store content and include functions such as a search facility or feedback form; while the most sophisticated websites employ animation, sound and videos as well as member’s areas, forums, user polls and a range of other functions.

The most common functions to consider for a community website are:

search facility enabling users to find information on the site
feedback form for users to submit their comments
directory/ies listing names and contact details of local businesses/common interest groups
calendar to promote events
public forum for community members to post news and events.

Be aware that different functions require different software and that not all hosting services support all software. The functionality of your website will also depend on your budget. The more complex the functionality of your website, the longer it will take to develop and the more costly it will be.

If your community is small, you might be able to create a listing of businesses and events in a static HTML page. However, this means you will need to edit the HTML page whenever details change. For larger sites (or where funding permits) it is better to use a database to store and manage this information.

A database provides for more sophisticated searching because it allows each entry to be associated with more than one category. For example: the Children’s Greek Dance Academy could be listed under ‘children’s activities’, ‘ethnic groups’ and ‘recreation clubs’. This makes it easier for site visitors to locate information, regardless of where they begin searching.

When planning the functionality of your website, work out what you want your site to do and then decide how you can best achieve this. If you can’t afford everything to begin with, you might take a phased approach to get a simplified version online first. Alternatively, you may have to scale down your ambitions to meet your budget.

By being clear about what functionality you want in your website, you will be in a better position to discuss this with your web developer to find out how they will do it, what it will cost and how long it will take to build.

Maximising Search Engine Ratings (Findability)

Target Appropriate Keywords
Include The Keywords Within the Content
Make Your Site Usable
Make Your Content Information-Rich
Get Links from Relevant Sites

For more information please see : http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=webmasters#essentials in particular the sections on "Essentials of Search Engine Submission" and "Optimising for Crawlers".

You can also submit your URL to Google and Yahoo search engines which may help in your search engine rankings. Visit their following links for more information:
http://www.google.com/addurl/

https://login.yahoo.com/config/login_verify2?.src=siteex&.intl=us&.done=http%3A%2F%2Fsiteexplorer.search.yahoo.com%2Fsubmit

Usability

You will want to ensure that your website is easy to use for the avery user so that they can perform a task and/or find information on your site. Keeping it simple is important.

Accessibility

Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web.

The Worldwide Web Consortium, the international arbiters of accessibility, tries to help by putting all of the relevant information in their Accessibility section, but it is a little ovewhelming. Kerry Webb, Internet Guide, Policy Office from InTACT has put together a description of a couple of simple steps that will make your sites accessible to a wide range of users in this document: "Simple Steps to Accessibility" (PDF document, 81KB)

For an introduction to the necessity for web accessibility visit:

http://www.w3.org/WAI/gettingstarted/Overview.html

One of the tips for increasing accessibility include using "ALT" text for all images.

For more useful tips visit: http://www.w3.org/WAI/quicktips/

There are 2 relevant Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag.php

Using version 1 is recommended at this point in time as it has been approved as a stable and referenceable version.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission refers to the W3C guidelines as part of its advisory notes under the Disability Discrimination Act:

http://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/standards/www_3/www_3.htmlThe Australian Government Information Management Office explains the need for government agencies to abide by the guidelines at:

http://webpublishing.agimo.gov.au/Accessibility

Testing

The key to testing is to test as much and as often as you can. Test at key project stages rather than wait until the entire website is completed.
The level of testing will also depend on the complexity of the website. It can be as basic as checking that all the links in the site go where they should. For more complex websites with functionality such as an events calendar or news pages, submit dummy data to ensure it displays correctly. Try entering data in as many different scenarios as you can to make your testing as rigorous as possible. For example, when submitting events information, check that both text and numbers are accepted and fields such as the date display correctly on the web page.

Be sure to test the website in the live environment before you launch to make sure everything is working as it should.

Management & Maintenance

Hosting

Once you have developed your community website (and before you launch it), you will need to nominate an internet service provider (ISP) to host the site so people can visit it. Hosting costs can vary depending on a number of factors including:

the size of the website (measured in kilobytes, megabytes or gigabytes)
the number of people accessing the site each month
the bandwidth provided by the ISP
the software supported by the ISP
other services offered (e.g. visitor statistics, email addresses).

Many web developers also provide hosting, or you can use a third party provider such as Telstra or Optus, or a specialist hosting service provider. A good starting point might be to look under ‘website services’ or ‘website hosting’ in the Yellow Pages or on the net.

Unless your website is permanently funded by a sponsor or you have a local business providing in-kind support, you will need to raise enough money to pay the ongoing hosting costs.

While your initial website may be quite basic, it is worthwhile investigating all the options your host can provide. For example, you may want to get statistical information such as how many people have visited your website and the pages they viewed. Or you may already be thinking about possible future upgrades such as community email addresses or a local forum.

It is also important to regularly check that any links you have on your website are up to date. There are some free tools on the web that you can access to ascertain if you have any links that aren't working - for eg. you can try: http://www.dead-links.com.

To ensure updates occur regularly, it is recommended that you have a regime that establishes who is responsible for updating each part of the website, and how often. Depending on the nature of the content, some sections might need updating daily or weekly (for example: local news and events, sports results) while others may be updated only monthly (for example: business directory, external links).

Template

Following is website plan template which may assist in your website development planning.

Website Plan (Word document 54 KB)

Resources